Button-forming machine



I H.1.sK|PP.

BUTON FURIVIIIIG MACHINE.

APPLICATION FlLED OCT. 29, 1921.

Patented NGV. 28, )1922.

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H. 1. SKTPP. BUTTON FORMTNGMACHTNE. APPLICATION man ocT'. 29. 1921.

"Tamm Nov. 28, 1922.

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Patented Non'. 28, i922.

ill itil cllwlw HERBERT J'. SKIP?, OF NEW JERSEY.

BUTTON-FORVIING MACHINE.

Application led @ctober 29, 1921. Serial No. 511,399.

To @ZZ wlw/m, t may conce/m.' y

Be it known that l, HERBERT il. flnirr, a citizen ot the United States, and a resident of Newark, county of Essen and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Button-Forming Machines, of which the following is a speciiication.

This invention relates to an improved button forming machine in which a piece of material. such as the so-called vegetable ivory, is held in a clamp while a tool is revolved on the tace oit the material to Atorni the tace and the rim ot' the button.

rl`he invention relates to a machine of this kind in which the holding oi the piece ot material is tirm. even though the material which is cut into slices or small slabs is rough and 'uneven on its edges, since the holding means is automatically adjusted to such uneven surface when it is forced into holding position.

The invention relates also to a cutting means which first cuts the blank to approximately the 'form of the button and then cuts the blank so as to finish the surl'zfice thereof, these cutters being preferably operated into cutting position by a single means. The cutters are easily removed or replaced in case oi chipping or breakage.

rlfhe invention is illustrated in the acco1n panying drawings, in which Figure l is a side view of a button forming machine broken away at portions thereof7 this machine illustrating one t'orm oi my improved invention. l `igure 2 is a central vertical section ot a cutter used in the machine. Figure 3 is a section on line EMB in Figure 2. Figure a is a sectional view showing` a 'front and rear cutter and illustrating a part of the clamp i'or holding a piece of material from which the button is made in position. Figure 5 is a perspective view of one portion ot the cutter, and Figure 6 is a perspective view ot another portion oit the cutter. Figure 7 is partly an elevation and partly an end view and shows an improved clamp used tor holding the material from which the button is made in position7 and Figure 8 is a side view oi. the construction shown in Figure 7.

The machine comprises a suitable support or bed plate 10` having legs 11 which snpport it at the proper working height, and at i suitable point, usually substantially centrally located on the table 10, is a fixed member 12, against the face of which the piece ot material 13 from which the button is to be made is held. The button material is formed, previous o insertion in the machine, in the form of thin slabs or Hakes and when the material is what is known as vegetable ivory it is cut from irregular shaped blocks, and the pieces that are cut therefrom, while they are flat 'for the major portion or their laces7 are uneven at their edges and not at all symmetrical.

W hen held by a subs antially rigid clamp the uneven contour of the material does not permit, in many cases, of a secure clamping of the piece ot material7 and when the cutters are put in operation, these cutters operating rotati'vely` on the tace of the material to cut or scrape from the material the but ton, the piece moves slightly and chatters or vibrates, which not only provides for an uneven product, but results in the early breaking oit the cutter.

rThe present clamp is one in which the piece of material is tightly held, since it comprises lingers which can be selectively forced into clamping position so that the one that clamps the material iirst interferes in no way with the forward movement of the other clamping fingers until they are all in i'irm engagement with the material to be held.

@ne torni of clamp is shown in the draw ings, comprising end plates 14, in which are slidably arranged the bars l5, these bars bcing preferably arranged in pairs on oppo site sides so as to leave a suiiicient clearance `for the operation of a cutter to be hereinafter described, which cutter operates through this clamping device, the bars 15 being provided with suitable lingers 16 which project inwardly, but not far enough to interfere with the operation of the c'utters, being adjusted to terminate short of the diameter of the cutting device and being .normally held back by suitable springs 17.

Each pair oit bars 15 has its members connested by an arm 18, these arms being arranged so that they can rock in the bars and are preferably passed through the bars, this rocking being permitted by rounding the Walls of the perforation 19 through which these bars project, the bars being held in position by suitable means, such as the screw 2O above one of the bars 15 of a pair and having a head 21 on each arm in the other bar ot such pair'.

The arms are engaged by pins 22 of a yoke so that the arms of the yoke extend up on either side and have their pins engaging the arms that connect the bars so that the bars can be pushed against the in- Atluence ot the springs 17, which springs normally hold the bars yieldingly against movement in their normal or retreated position. he yoke 23 is swivelled so that it can be swung to compensate for uneven movement ot the bars, the arms in turn rocking to compensate tor uneven movement or1 the bars.

Suitable means for operating the yoke is installed, the ,term shown comprising the short shaft or stud 24 to which the yoke is swivelled, as by means oft the bolt 25, the stud 24 litting into the socket 26 at the end of the lever 27, the lever being pivoted, as at 28, and being suitably connected to a treadle or foot piece 29 which engages the extension 30 of the lever 27 by means ot' the pin 81.

lt will be evident that when a piece ot' against` the tace 32 ot the fixed member 12 and the swivelled yoke is pushed forward, it pushes on the arms 18, these arms pushing the bars 15 forward and causing the fingers 16 to engage the material; This material being uneven, the bars will compensate therefor since the stopping of any ot the bars acts as a Yiulcrum tor the 'further movement oit' the arm that connects the bars in that pair, or as a tulcrum for the swinging o'l the swivelled yoke, and the fingers are all pushed up to tight clamping position on the uneven surface oi the material. y

lNhen the pressure is released, after the work is completed, the springs 17 pull the bars back, and these, through the arms and the yoke, return all the portions ot the clamp to their normal inoperative position.

rlhe button may be cut from the blank from one side and then the blank reversed and a cutter operated against the other side, but l prefer to use two cutters, one on the back and one, on the front o the button, one of the cutters operating through a peril-oration 38 in the Afixed member 12 and the other cutter operating through the clamping device hereinbetore described. rihese cutters, except tor their contour, can be alike, and l will describe the construction et one, which will be understood as being` applicable to the other.

Bearings slidably support the is slidably arranged the 36 being operated by a belt 38 passing over a pulley 39. The sleeve and the shaft are adapted to operate rotatably together, but the shaft 37 slidable longitudinally in the sleeve 36. llfhe sleeve 86 is provided with one cutter or blade thereof, as at 40, being adapted to be secured in place by a suitable material 13 is placed 34 and 35 on the bed plate 10 sleeve 36, within which shaft 37, the sleeve screw 41, the rear end or' the cutter 40 having the part 42 which rests against the flat tened side 43 ot' the sha-ft 37. This cutter is held against movement longitudinally, except with the sleeve, and will be identitied by being called the movable cutter, and it is usually arranged radially in the sleeve so that its cutting edge rotates circumferentially relative to the axis or' the shaft.

The liXed cutter 44 permits the movement ci? the movable cutter by reason of the slot 45 through which the screw 41 projects, the cutter being secured at its rear end, by means of a screw 46, to the shaft 37, and, being clamped tightly by the screw 46, moves with the shaft 37 when the shaft 37 is moved longitudinally in the sleeve 36. The edges ot the cutters are made with a contour which denes the tace and rim ot the button, and being arranged tace to tace, as will be seen in Figure 2, their line of cutting relative to the axis is the same, and they are also arranged so that the path of travel ot' one is coincidental to the path of travel ot the other on the piece of material to be cut, so that one, such as the xed cutter 44, is used for roughing and taking out the rough part of the material, and the movable cutter 40 is used for the iinishing to give the button its smooth surface.

lt will be evident that in any breakage o'l t-he cutter it is easily replaced and the exs pense ot' making a new cutter is cut down, since only one-halt of the cutter at any time is liable to damage.

'At 47 I show a cutter similar to the one just described, except that here the contour ot the cutting edge 48 of the cutter is ditterent so as to give the proper contour to the back ot the button, as will be evident from Figure 4.

When the iront and rear of the button are cut with the same machine "i pre-ter to use a single means for first advancing one set of cutters which cut the front tace ot the button, and then retreating this set oi cutters and at the same time advancing the other set of cutters 47 to cut the rear tace ot the button. One form ot accomplishing this is illustrated in Figure 1, in which the slide 49 is suitably operated, as by means of a link 50 connected to a lever 51 which forms a handle with a hand feed 52 thereon and a suitable weight to keep the parts balanced and to provide tor an easier operation.

Since both ends are operated similarly l will describe but one end of the machine, which comprises a block 54 fastened to the sleeve 36, this block 54 being on the slide 49 and having on its top edge a bearing 55 through which the shaft 37 slides. The shatt 37 is provided with a plate 56 which is preferably adjustable, as by reason ot the nuts 57 on the screw-threaded end 58 ot the shaft messala 37, and is provided with a stem 59, the front end ot' which engages the end 60 of the bed plate of the machine. The stem 59 is slidably arranged in the block 541', and a guiding linger 61 is also slidably arranged -in the block 54 and is a guiding linger to keep the parts better aligned. A spring 62 yeldingly and normally holds the block 54 pushed back to its normal position, which in turn holds the sleeve 36 back and thus keeps the iinislr ing cutter 40 in rear oi' the roughing cutter Llei.

Assuming that the handle 52 is swung upward, the slide 49 is moved to the left in Figure 1 and the shaft and the sleeve are both moved forward together to bring the roughing cutter in contact with the piece of material 13. The end of the stem 59 is stopped when it engages the part of the machine against which it is projected, the plate 56 is stopped, and consequently the shaft 37 is stopped, and the roughing cutter rotates in position, it having been cutting during part of' this forward movement, the finishing cutter being held in rear of the cutting edge of the roughing cutter; in other words, it has maintained its normal. position.

@n a further movement, however, of the handle 52, the slide 4:9 pulls the block 54 against the influence of the spring 62, this lost motion device permitting such further movement of the sleeve 36, and while the shaft 37 and its cutter are held stationary,

the sleeve 3G is advanced and it projects the finishing cutter et() so that its cutting edge slowly passes beyond the roughing cutter and continues the cutting operation, this being continued until the proper finish is se cured or until the button is entirely cut from the blank, this usually being the case since the cutters are normally provided with the edge 63, which, as will be seen from Figures @le and 6, cuts through to meet the cut made by the cutter if? and the button is cut trom the blank at the edge of the button.

iilhen this has been accomplished the handle 52 is again lowered and all the parts are then retreated into the position shown in Figure 1. lihile this cutting has been going on, the clamp, which has been previously described, has been holding the material 13 solidly in position, and after the cutting is completed the foot pedal is released to permit Hthe clamp to be returned to its normal position through the influence ot the springs 17, and the machine is ready for the insertion ol another piece ot material.

This method of'cutting the button is expeditious and economical and is easy of operation.

It will be also evident that the roughing tool, when it first engages the material, or iii', at any stage in the roughing', there is an uneven surface encountered or hard,

gritty places in the material, becomes chipped, which forms an uneven cutting edge and results in concentric or circular ridges. In the old style tool this would require the making of a new cutter, but in the present tool any slight unevenness in the roughing cutter is not a seriousdeiect because the tinishing cutter, when it is advanced, removes the slight imperfections from the face off the button. ln other words, a perfectly smooth finish is possible on the face of the button, which is almost impossible when the buttons are finished with one solid tool.

It will be understood that minor changes can be made in the proportions and arrangement of the parts without departing from the scope ot the invention. f

1 claim:

1. A button forming machine comprising` a lined member, a frame opposite the liXed member, inwardly projecting fingers supported so as to slide on the frame, and a single means for selectively pressing the iingers in holding' contact with the lixed member.

2. A button forming machine comprising a clamping device, said device comprising a trame, pairs oi rods slidable in the frame, an arm connecting each pair and adapted to rock in said rods, and a swivelled element rockingly engaging the arms to move the arms and fingers forward.

3. A button forming machine comprising a clamping device, said device comprising a iframe, pairs of rods slidable in the frame, an arm connecting each pair and adapted to rock in said rods, and a swivelled yoke movable to rockingly engage the arms and move them forward.

l. A button forming machine comprising a clamping device, said device` comprising a frame, pairs o'lf rods slidable in the frame, arm cimnecting` each pair and adapted to rock in said rods, a swivelled yoke movable to rockingly engage the arms and move them forward, and springs connected to said rods to yieldingly hold them in normal position.

5. A button formingI machine comprising a frame havingopposed standards at its ends, rods sliding in the standards, arms connected to selected rods and in rocking engagement therewith, inwardly projecting .fingers on said rods, springs to yieldingly hold the rods back. a swinging lever, and a yoke swivelled on the lever, said yoke having on its arms means to rockingly engage the arms oi the rods to move the rods against the influence of the springs.

ln testimony that I claim the foregoing, I have hereto set my hand, this 28th day of lOctober, 1921.

HERBERT J. SKIP?. 

